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THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST

Synopsis:  Captain Jonny wants his ship back.

"FORTUNE'S WIND", chapter 11

by Eric R. Umali

"Sound Quarters"

The procession made its way through the jungle at a brisk pace, following
a barely visible path.  Two natives led the way, followed by Jonny, then
Jessie, Bannon, and Captain Quest.  Another half dozen natives walked
behind them, carrying fruits, meat and other supplies in parcels tied to
long poles.

"This isn't the way we came, is it?" asked Quest, puffing a bit to keep
up.

"No, it's not," replied Bannon.  "But I trust that they," he said,
inclining his head toward their native guides, "know the way better than
we."

After another minute, a young native they'd sent ahead came running.  He
stopped at the larger of the two guides at the front and exchanged several
rapid words.  The larger man turned and instructed them to wait, gesturing
at Jonny.  He made it clear that Jonny, and only Jonny, should follow.
The carriers in back lowered their cargo and waited.  The young pirate
started after the scout and the guide.

The two natives before him began sprinting up the narrow path, with Jonny
right behind.  Soon, they turned off and into the trees, then began up a
sharp incline.

The two natives stopped, the large guide grabbing Jonny as he shot past,
keeping him from falling off the precipitous drop that ended the growth.
They now stood atop a high cliff, worn into the side of the island by time
and the sea.  From there, they had an unobstructed but hidden view of the
cove where Jonny had landed.  What he saw there made him wish he'd fallen.

The *Bandit Queen* lay right where they'd dropped anchor the day before,
and looked peaceful enough, but now, she had company.  Sharing the shallow
waters was another ship, a man o'war that Jonny recognized immediately.
The *Talon.*

"Surd," he hissed, then spat, the name leaving an acrid taste in his
mouth.  *How?  How did he find us?* he thought.  *The only way would be...
a traitor.  A mutineer... on _my_ ship.*  The sight of a launch ferrying
crew from one ship to the other confirmed this.  *And I sent Hadji right
into his hands.*

Jonny's thoughts whirled.  *Rage.  It had to be that damnable Rage.  Black
Dog and I should've keel-hauled him the moment we laid eyes on him.*  He
nodded to his native companions, and they headed back.

"What's happened?" asked Quest when Jonny returned.  "Is the ship all
right?"

"The ship seems fine," Jonny answered, "but she's got company?"

"Company?"

"The *Talon,*" he said, his voice ice cold.  "Surd's found us."

"Jonny, how?"  Jessie's voice carried anger beneath her concern.

"One of my crewmen turned traitor.  I intend to make him regret that
decision."  He turned to the natives, gesturing for them to return the way
they'd come.

Bannon stood from where he'd been leaning against a tree.  "Where are we
going?"

"_You_ are going back to the village.  _I_ am going to get my ship back."
Jonny started to turn, but Jessie stopped him.

"Not without me, you're not."

He placed his hand on her shoulder.  "It's not your ship, you don't have
to."

"The hell it's not my ship.  I'm part of the crew, remember?"

"Fair enough."

"Now see here--" began Bannon.

"Father," said Jessie sharply, "we are _not_ having this argument again."

"We aren't," he answered.  "But the two of you are _not_ going alone."  He
turned to Quest, who looked up from checking his pistol.

"Was there a doubt?" Benton remarked.

Jonny shook his head.  "I suppose not.  So it's four against a dozen,
then."

"There's at least twenty men on the *Talon* as well..." said Jessie.
"...Captain."

"The *Talon* is not my concern at the moment.  If we can take back the
*Bandit Queen* and get out of the cove, she'll outsail Surd."

"You figure Surd is just going to let us sail off?"

"Of course not. We just need to get their attention."

Bannon coughed.  "I believe _I_ can supply a diversion."

**********

By late that afternoon, the alliance that had formed in the island's cove
was showing signs of strain.  No more boats traveled from one to the
other.  Crews on both the *Talon* and the *Bandit Queen* stayed on deck,
casually watching each other, itching for a confrontation.  Meanwhile, a
few representatives from both sides were involved in a heated discussion
on the beach.

About a dozen men stood on the sands, around a small table on which was a
rough sketch of the island.  The two crews were evenly represented, and
their leaders stood facing each other across the table.

Surd's hand was on the handle of his sword.  "Where _are_ they, pirate?!"

Rage was doing his best to keep calm.  "Perhaps, Your Excellency, they've
found those natives."

"I don't want 'perhaps', Rage.  'Perhaps' is not a word a Queen's
Privateer would use!  I want the boy and his companions... or their
bodies."

"Then send some of your own men to find them!"

The governor crossed his arms smugly.  "I already have."

Rage's eyes narrowed.  "You don't trust me much, do you?" he said.

"No," Surd answered coldly.

"Good, then," the pirate said, a strange smile on his face.  "We're even."
The mutineer turned and headed back to the jollyboat.

Surd scowled as he watched the rail-thin pirate climb into the boat.  "I'm
going to _enjoy_ killing him."

**********

Night fell, cool but cloudy.  The *Talon* was quiet, as most hands were
ashore in the quickly raised camp.  Things were quiet on the *Bandit
Queen* as well, but for a different reason.  Once again, the casks and
bottles of rum had been raided, though not nearly as vigorously as the
night before.  Most of the crew were in the fo'c'sle, carousing, playing
cards and drinking.  The top deck was deserted.

The tiny boat slipped through the water, the oars making the softest of
lapping noises.  It came from the mouth of the cove, using the currents to
bring it closer to the dark pirate ship.  The headed straight for her
stern, which was pointing towards the open sea.

Once there, strong pair of hands held fast to the *Bandit Queen*'s hull,
keeping the smaller craft still.  A single figure rose carefully, and
reached up, fingers finding purchase on the sill of the lower cabins'
windows.

"Be careful," Quest whispered.  Despite the dark, he swore he could see
Jonny smile in response.

"Stay here by the stern, and wait for our signal," he replied, then slowly
pulled himself up.  Jonny peeked over the sill, making sure they hadn't
missed anyone inside the cabin while spying on the ship earlier.  They'd
given the mutineers just enough time to get drunk, tired and sloppy.

*Good,* he thought, seeing the cabin empty.  He crawled in through the
window, trying to keep quiet.  Once inside, he reached out again, and was
handed his katana, which he drew, then cracked open the door.  The
passageway seemed empty.

Placing the sword by his foot, he leaned head and arms out the window.
Jessie grasped his forearms, and was hauled up to the window.  Jonny saw
Quest, ready to hand her sabre to her.  Jessie placed one hand on the
windowframe for support, then looked into the cabin.

"Jonny, down!" she half-whispered, and he immediately complied.  In a
fraction of a second, Jessie leaned back, wrapping her fingers around the
handle of her sabre, brought the sword up, and drove it forward.

Jonny turned around in a crouch, katana in hand, to see Tom, one of the
muntineers, on the end of Jessie's sword.  Tom's arm was still raised to
strike with his sea-gully knife, and his face still twisted in surprise
and pain.

"I'm impressed," Jonny whispered.

"Thank you.  Now could you get him off my sword?  He's getting heavy."

Jonny rose and pulled the very dead pirate to the floor.  "That's one," he
said while helping Jessie to the deck, "maybe seven or eight more left."

"And those still loyal to you?"  Jessie asked.

The young captain looked away.  "I wouldn't count on them still being
alive."

**********

The six men in the amidships hold were silent, as they had been since
being captured.  Nearest the chamber's door was Hadji, who still ached
from the mutineers' hospitality.  One of the men stirred.

"More'n a full day since we heard from the Cap'n," he said to no one in
particular.

"That merely means neither Rage nor Surd has found him," replied Hadji,
who'd been endeavoring to keep the men's spirits up.  "Any other
conclusion would be unfounded."

There was a scratching at the door.  Slowly, it swung open.  A wave of
relief hit Hadji on seeing the blonde-haired head poke in.

"Men, your faith in me is truly astounding," Jonny said, and entered,
stepping over the dead drunk sentry.  He began cutting ropes, Hadji first.

"So the natives did _not_ get you, eh?"

"They did.  But they're a friendly lot.  We really _must_ return here when
we have some free time."

Another of the men called out.  "And the treasure, Cap'n?"

Jonny swallowed.  "There is no treasure, men.  I'm sorry.  But there'll be
plenty of gold on the main for us once we're to sea."

As Jonny moved on, Jessie entered, handing Hadji his wide, curved sword.
She then went to help Jonny.

Once they were free, Jonny began to outline his plan.  All of a sudden,
Hadji rushed at him, shoving him away.  The young captain spun to watch
his first mate cut down the sentry.  Jonny chuckled.

"At this rate, I won't even get a spot on my blade.  Hadji," he said,
clapping a hand on his back, "I believe this makes us even."

"Perhaps, my friend," Hadji answered, "but I'm still going to be watching
your back."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

A crewman stepped up to him.  "Cap'n, sir, I don't think it'll work.  The
plan, I mean.  We need... more."
Jonny looked the man over, then turned away.  "More, is it?"  He paced the
hold until he found a thick plank, meant for repairing the hull.  "Here,"
he said, tossing it to the reluctant sailor.  "Is it good and strong?"

"Aye, Captain," the man responded.

"Good," Jonny said, heading for the door.  "Then lash it to your spine--
it needs stiffening."  The captain disappeared into the passage, followed
by Jessie, Hadji and the others, and the duly chastised crewman.

**********

Surd strode onto the deck of the *Talon.*  Standing on the quarterdeck, he
looked out at the island.

"Where are you, boy?" he asked out loud.  As if in answer, he heard a
ruckus begin on the beach.  He ran to the spyglass mounted on the railing
and focused it on the campsite.  The bulk of his crew was there, on their
feet, running frantically around the fire.  He swung his view to one of
the officers, who was in the midst of reloading his rifle.  Surd watched
him shudder, then fall, a dart embedded in his neck, causing his face to
contort in pain.  The governor watched several more men fall before
running for the forward hatch.

Surd lifted the hatch and shouted to the men who remained on board.
"Sound quarters!  Man the portside guns!  Get me the best shots you have
on deck!  The camp is under attack by those heathen savages!"

Four men came to the deck, rifles in hand.  They loaded and began firing
towards the nearby wood where the attack seemed to originate.  Minutes
later, one of the mighty cannons fired, leveling a half dozen trees.

**********

"What was that?" cried one of the mutineers.

"The *Talon* is firing its cannon," answered another groggily.

The few most sober headed for the fo'c'sle hatch, only to find it securely
locked.

"What's going on?" asked a voice, just coming to.

"The mutiny is over."

**********

Rage was thrown from his hammock with the first cannon report, and
scrambled onto the deck.  He burst into the night air to find Jonny and
his companions once again in command of the *Bandit Queen.*

"It's time to settle up, Rage," challenged Jonny.

The mutineer raised his hands.  "But I am unarmed, Cap'n Jonny.  Would you
kill me now?"

"You're welcome to await your trip to Execution Dock with your friends."

Rage shrugged.  "I think not."  His arm was a blur, producing a small
pistol from the folds of his coat.  Captain Quest caught the motion, and
dove towards Jonny.

The pistol went off as Jonny felt himself shoved to the deck.  He hit
hard, then turned, coming to his feet.  Rage came running, his cutlass
swinging for Jonny's head.  Jonny looked at Benton, collapsed on the deck,
and felt his anger boil.

"Rage," he said angrily, "get the hell off my ship."

"Make me."

TO BE CONTINUED...